Game apparatus



(No Model.)

. J. GONNER.

GAME APPARATUS.

" No. 574,351. Patented 1360.29, 1896.

Ti 5 v WITNEESEEI I v lNvsNTng: 4141 aw ATTORNEY.

NIT-ED STATES JOSEPH OONNER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,'ASSIGNOR OF FORTY-NINE ONE- HUNDREDTHS TO GEORGE T. KEELER, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

GAME APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 574,351, dated December 29, 1896.

Application filed July 3,1894. Renewed June 30,1896. Serial No. 597,648. (No model.)

the edge e of the lower board, and the rub- To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH CoNNER, a citizen of the United States,residin g at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Game-Board, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a game apparatus of that class in which balls and a one are employed.

The object of the invention is to provide a novel combination and arrangement of a board having a continuous cushioned rail all around a central block on the board, provided with a stop-notch at each corner of said block and a depression in the board coincident with each of said stop-notches.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a top view of the game-board. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of same on the line 2 2. Fig. 3 is a section view, on alarger scale, showing the table, cushion-rail, and ball. Fig. 4 is a view of the central block. Fig. 5 is a view of the one.

The table or board comprises a square central surface A and a frame B around the same, but raised to a plane higher than said surface. On the inner edge of the frame is a cushionrail 0. The construction of these parts is as follows: The central surface has a cover 01, of cloth or other suitable material, and the edges cl of this cover are secured under the frame B. The frame B, as here shown, is composed of two thicknesses of board, the upper thickness B and a lower thickness e. The cushion-rail O is made of round rubber, either tubular or solid, and secured in a groove f on the edge of the upper thickness or upper 40 board of the frame B. The cushion-rail has and securely confined. The relation of these parts, to wit, the groove f in the upper board,

ber cushion O, resting in said groove and projecting inward beyond the said edge e of the lower board, produces a most desirable cushion-rail. The rubber cushion C, being secured on the inner edge of a board B, which is broad in the horizontal direction and therefore stiff and unyielding, insures that the cushion has a solid backing, so that when a ball J strikes the cushion the best results of carom are obtained.

In order to overcome the objection to the right angles or corners that pertain to square game boards or tables, I have made each of the four sections of the frame B with oblique corners 7c, and a miter-joint unites two adjoining sections. Thus while the center playing-surface A is square the outline or configuration of the frame B is octagonal.

A central block N is secured flatwise on the playing-surface. This block has four sides m at right'angles to each other, and the position of the rectangular block with respect to the four rectangular cushion-rails O is shown in Fig. 1, that is, each side m of the central block confronts a corner 0 of the playing-surface. At each angle or corner of the central block is a cut-out or stop-notch p, and a depression q is in the table-surface A coincident with each of said notches. The notches p serve as guides for the depressions q. The edge of each of the four sids m of the central block may be provided with a cushion m.

Four spots 0", of colored fabric or coloring material, each-of different color, are on the cloth playing-surface. These may be at either side, or preferably near the corners, and are the spots on which the players ball is placed at starting. The spots correspond in color with the balls.

The scoring is done at the row of holessin the frame. Suitable pegs or pins are employed to insert in these holes when counting.

The cue T is made of wood. The point end has a tip "at of elastic material, and at the opposite end is a weighty hilt-piece c, which serves to balance the one and give momentum when making a stroke. The hilt has a hole w, into which the players finger may be entered to facilitate handling the one. The hilt should be colored to correspond with the color Ice of the players ball J and the spot 1', which said ball occupies.

The several parts of this board or table will be made of suitable material. 700d, marble, slate, glass, or metal may be employed where either is adapted.

The object of the game is for players to place their opponents balls in one of the retaining-depressions q and keep it there, and, on the contrary, the object of the opponent is to extricate his ball when so placed.

The game is played as follows: hen played by two players, each will have two different colored or marked balls which he is at liberty to play. The balls are to be played so as to make caroms and retainers. A carom is made when a played ball strikes any other two balls and counts one point. Striking three balls makes two caroms and counts two points. A retainer is made when a ball struck by the cue-ball rolls into one of the depressions q and is held therein and counts one point. If a carom and retainer both be made, two points are counted. At the starting of the game all the balls are placed on their respective spots 2-. The player then having the first go may proceed with his one to play either one of his balls at either of his opponents balls or 011 either cushion C, and any carom from his ball or any two other balls shall count one point to his credit. \Vhen a player forces his opponents ball into a retaining-depression q and makes a retainer, the ball is not removed from the depression, but remains therein for the opponent to extricate it if he can by forcing his cue-ball against it in order to knock it out of the depression. This knock-out counts three points for the player making the play.

A player continues his play as 1011 as he makes points to his credit, but retires when failing to score a point. The points to constitute a game may be twenty-five, fifty, or any number as may be agreed upon by the players.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A game board or table comprising a rectangular playing-surface, A; a frame, B, inclosing the playing-surface; a rectangular block secured centrally upon the playing-surface and projecting above said surface and having at each corner a stop-notch,19; and retainirig-depressions, q, in the said playingsurface, each of which is partially encircled by one of the said stop-notches, whereby a moving ball will be arrested by the stopnotch and then held in the retaining-depression from which it may be extricatcd by the knock of another ball.

2. A game apparatus comprising a playingsurfaee inclosed by a rectangular frame provided with a cushion-rail, O; a starting-spot, 7', located near each angle of the playing-surface; a rectangular block, N, secured centrally upon the playing-surface with each of its sides, m, facing one of the said angles of the playing-surface, and said block having at each corner a stop-notch, p; and retainingdepressions, q, in the said playingsurface, each of which is partially encircled by one of the said stop-notches, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH OONNER. Witnesses:

CHARLES M. ACKERMAN, JOHN DOW'NE. 

